ipmtim

Finally got the heads off my '06 with 68k on the clock.
Did a wiggle test on #5&7 exhaust valve and guess what.......FAILED
.008 wiggle on both of them, didn't need to go any farther.
A trip to the machine shop tomorrow for a full report and rebuild.
No porting, new bronze guides and ss exhaust valves, polish the intakes, and new springs.
I have a couple of questions:
Can I reuse the head bolts?
Where can I find parts for CHE trunnion upgrade?
Tim

'06 Quicksilver Z06

Do not reuse the head bolts.

The C.H.E. rocker upgrade is through WCCH. They send your stock rockers to C.H.E. and they upgrade your rockers, or they sell you a set of rockers that they have already done by C.H.E.. This is part of how C.H.E., maintains quality control. By doing the upgrade in house and not farming out the parts to do their trunion upgrade.

The C.H.E. rocker arm upgrade, uses no bearings of any sort, and uses a spiral retaining clip vs the snap ring in some of the other trunion kits

But if you want the C.H.E. rockers, give WCCH a call. Which BTW, is where I'd recommend that you send your heads. Either there or to Darin Morgan.

I would strongly encourage you to send your heads to either WCCH or Darin Morgan Reher Morrison if you are going to have them done. A cylinder head specialist with a national reputation on these LS7 cylinder heads.

If you needed a heart valve, you'd want a nationally renown heart surgeon to do it if you had access to him.

So much more the same and likewise with your exhaust valves.

Get someone with a national reputation on this matter to help you. Not necessarily the closest person you can find

Good luck though, whatever you decide.

ipmtim

Quick, thanks for the reply. I agree and would not let just anybody do this job.
The machine shop I'm using, Opel Engineering, is local and very well respected speed shop that does everything in house, besides they have a working relationship with WCCH so I'm confident we can get this right.
I'll either ask them if they can do the CHE upgrade or I'll just send my rockers to WCCH.
Tim

'06 Quicksilver Z06

Sounds like you have a handle on it.

ipmtim

I hope so, I've read every freaking valve thread in here!

FrankTank

Hey Tim, Ricky (Quicksilver) already pretty much posted what I was going to. CHE upgrade you can get through WCCH, and if Opel already works with WCCH even better. I am assuming you are keeping your stock exhaust manifolds? I will be curious to hear how your engine sounds after the install, mine is a good deal louder but I attribute that mostly to the headers being thinner than manifolds.

I went with ARP bolts from summit, can't remember the exact ones , I can try and find out. I did not use Studs, just bolts no need to at near stock power level. I did have to buy all new Titanium intake valves as the used heads I bought the intakes were all shot. I am sure yours will be fine.


BTW, the set up you have picked for your heads is the same as I did with mine. Hopefully my RPM trans will be here this week and Kevin will get it installed by next week and I will finally have my car back.

ipmtim

Thanks Tank, sucks not driving our cars.
Mines been laid up for 6 months and can't wait to get it back on the road heading to the Black Hills for some well needed R&R.
Just gonna stay stock, don't really need to spin the tires faster.
I don't think my trans is far behind either, seems to be getting a little quirky.
Tim

ipmtim

Heads are at machine shop. Says 5-6 looong days.
Getting CHE trunnion upgrade while its there.
Gawd I can't wait been 6 months since I drove it. I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas.
Tim

ipmtim

Just got off the phone with machine shop.
All exhaust guides are shot...like we didn't know already, the best ones were
.003 the worst .005 so not rediculous.
All intakes were measured between .0015 and .0017
I guess I'm driving it too easy
So here it goes, gonna put intakes back together with new springs.
Looking at Manley 1 pc. SS exhaust valve and bronze guides and new springs.
As far as trunnion upgrades, this is the interesting part. Unless I send my rockers to WCCH I can't get the parts for CHE upgrade. Also, in talking with one of the major vendors here (which will remain nameless so as not to start a firestorm) I was told that there were problems with the early rockers and the newer rockers are much better.
So the question is do I put the comp cams trunnions in my stock rockers or buy new rockers?
Tim

jnv255

I brought a comp cams trunnion kit. I called texas speed and they had everything I needed, from the bronze valve guides, to the trunnion kit.
I've got Manley SS exhaust valves for mine sitting at the machine shop. Already had a comp valve job, now I'm waiting on the trunnion kit to be installed in the rocker arms/

ZO ZICK

Just send them to Texas Performance

They did mine and great results

Quick Silver Z

Good luck with this Tim, hope to see you (and Tank) at our lunch soon!

FrankTank

Tim great to see you are moving along with this. On the rockers , you have a good amount of miles on your car right ? If I were you I'd almost just buy new rockers and then everything is new and you will never have that in back of your mind

ipmtim

The only thing is then I'm stuck with the crappy stock trunnions
The rockers themselves look like new, thats why I'm thinking just new trunnions. I know the new rockers are a little "beefier" but the car is staying stock so I'm not too worried about them
Besides I think its prudent to do at a minimum, a wiggle test, every 30k.

Bob, I hope to hit some lunches soon.
Tim

ipmtim

Got my heads back from machine shop.
Can't wait to get it together.
Been waiting a long time to drive it
Tim

FrankTank

Tim, you know I know the feeling of not driving the car a while although you got me beat there..but you saw I just picked up the car today.

Will be great when you get it back together, hit me up and we will have to go for a cruise... I will get a hold of Keith hopefully his car wil be done any day now also.... most of the rest of our "crew" have gotten rid of their vettes other than Brad, Len and Jimmy P...and us

ipmtim

Tank I know its sad
We will rise again!
Enjoy your car
Tim

ipmtim

Got my car back!
Idle is smooth again, and no vibration between 1500 and 2000 rpm.
Gotta put some miles on before I leave for the Black Hills on Fri.
Tim

GMuffley

I'm curious. Is you engine quieter or noiser with the redone heads?

SSMOKE

I know that you are not asking me specifically, but I can tell you that my WCCH rebuilt heads with REV SS, one piece exhaust valves and BT dual springs are more quiet than the OEM heads. Also, I did not think that my OEM heads were loud to begin with and IMO there was only a SLIGHT tick. Normal LS7 sewing machine sound and at times, exhaust leaks that would quiet down when tightened. (I went to Stage 8 locking header bolts.)

It is strange because people seem to have different results as far as sound. (Subjective, of course.) I can tell you that with the OEM heads I thought that the SLIGHT tick I heard was from the headers. With the new heads I hear more of a consistent echo. THAT is what I now believe to be headers.

I hope that all makes sense. Next for me is Redline oil. I am curious to see what Redline oil does to the sound, if anything. Also, I have a COMP Cams trunnion upgrade.